January 14, 2026
The payments industry is undergoing one of the most significant periods of transformation in its history. From the onward march of account-to-account payments to real-time and crossborder innovation, the pace of change is relentless.
As we approach 2026, Jose Luis answers some of the most common questions asked by partners, clients and industry peers about the forces shaping the year ahead.
The move towards instant, intelligent payments will define the year. Real-time, or near real time, is now a firm expectation. With regulations such as the EU’s Instant Payments Regulation making instant settlement the default for Euro transactions, speed will become the baseline across domestic and international flows.
The crucial addition in 2026 will be the smarter use of the data surrounding each transaction. This richer intelligence will power new services, from personalised protection at the checkout to frictionless global settlement. Speed may unlock convenience, but data will unlock true value.
Payments will increasingly become a core layer of the insurance experience. Consumers, especially younger demographics, expect journeys that are connected and contextual, with payments playing a central role in delivering that experience. Activating protection at the moment of purchase will increasingly feel intuitive and seamless for the end customer. And as payouts become faster and more transparent, insurance-related payment experiences will become genuinely positive.
For consumers and businesses, the combination of ease, speed and trust delivered by A2A has provided a strong challenge to traditional payment methods this year.
In 2026, we’ll see the success of A2A payments in Europe replicated more widely, driven in part by improved user experience. Initiating A2A payments will increasingly feel as simple as tapping a card or scanning a QR code, both online and in physical environments. Behind the scenes, stronger verification standards and AI-driven fraud controls will give businesses the confidence to adopt instant A2A without compromising security.
A key catalyst for this momentum will be greater interoperability across Europe. As common standards mature and cross-border connections become more seamless, customers will experience A2A payments with the same consistency and reliability across the region. At Santander and Getnet Platforms, we are already helping make this a reality through solutions that connect domestic and international schemes and enable truly unified experiences for customers and businesses.
The old world of delayed cross-border transfers, inconsistent data standards and multi-day settlement windows is steadily falling out of relevance. Customers simply won’t tolerate uncertainty anymore, and businesses now expect the same clarity and speed internationally as they do domestically.
The industry is leaving behind the idea that ‘international’ must mean ‘slower’, more complicated and less reliable. By the end of next year, that assumption will feel outdated. International transactions will increasingly mirror domestic instant transfers and be always on, always trackable and significantly more intelligent.
Businesses should concentrate on modernising their systems around real-time expectations, strengthening partnerships that join together payments, protection and compliance, and elevating the customer experience across every aspect of the payment journey. Whether settling a claim, issuing a refund or completing a cross-border transfer, customers now expect transparency and immediacy. To stand out in a crowded market organisations must meet these expectations.
Over the coming years, payments will only become more instant, intelligent and increasingly invisible. Payments will move from a back-office function to a point where trust, technology and customer value align.Getnet Platforms will continue to help partners transform every transaction into a more meaningful moment of service.
